


all die young.

by luapple



Series: dadvid oneshots [6]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Child Neglect, David Acting as Max's Parental Figure | Dadvid (Camp Camp), Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lowercase, Not Shippy, Random & Short, Two Shot, dadvid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:13:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23806684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luapple/pseuds/luapple
Summary: i wanna grow old before i grow up.i wanna die with my chin up.and definitely maybe i will learn to love.
Relationships: David & Gwen (Camp Camp), David & Max (Camp Camp), Gwen & Max (Camp Camp), gwenvid if you want to view it that way! :)
Series: dadvid oneshots [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1428877
Comments: 14
Kudos: 66





	all die young.

**Author's Note:**

> hey! first things first, summary and title credit to 'all die young' by smith westerns!  
> secondly, i know it's been a while since i posted, sorry! i hit a really rough patch in my life and was also in the process of getting clean and just had a lot on my plate. everything was sorted after a long, long few months and now we're all quarantined lmao! so i finally have time to write. i hope everyone is staying safe and taking care of themselves not only physically, but also mentally. love from me to you <3

their meetings were an unspoken promise.

never texted, never arranged, never called.

it was a two way street of trust that the other would show up at the little coffee shop every thursday at 6pm.

the first time had been an accident, really.

it was around a month after camp ended and david got on with his life as an elementary school teacher, max getting on with his life as a destructive middle schooler. 

david obviously loved his students at school, no doubt, but he was still in the 'missing my former campers' phase as he always was for the next three or so months and would often catch himself relating something his students did back to one of his campers. he knew it was unhealthy, and he felt guilty because it wasn't fair to his students, but he truly couldn't help himself. 

he had been thinking about one camper in specific. the one who worried david the most in regards to what the hell he was going home to.

he sighed, walking down the city street, head throbbing and in desperate need of a pick me up before he started grading his second load of papers. the sun was still shining bright at 6 in the afternoon and still hot as ever. through the stumbling crowd of hundreds of sweaty people, he spotted a small hole in the wall coffee shop to his left.

 _ah what the heck,_ he thought to himself as he turned on his heel and began to approach the doors that he pushed open with a flick of his wrist.

the air conditioning that instantly hit him was incredibly refreshing and even david, summer lover, had to appreciate it.

the shop was cozy, a few people strewn here and there, light chatter and the sound of coffee beans grinding. the lighting was provided by fairy lights strung up on the walls, the darker atmosphere relieving david's headache just a little bit.

he smiled to himself as he approached the counter, requesting an iced chai from the girl behind the counter who looked like she would rather be anywhere else.

david waited by the counter, humming quietly as he scrolled through his texts with gwen on his phone. he was glad that she only lived half an hour away and even more glad that she was still his best friend even after camp. 

_attachment: one image_

david clicked on the message, subconsciously smiling to himself when it revealed a moody picture of gwen at her cubicle, mug that read _#2 counsler_ in hand.

_gwen: working late tonight. take a lucky guess as to what's in the mug. (hint: it's not coffee)_

david snorted at the antics of his friend.

_david: hang in there, CBFL! and no drinking on the job >:(_

he shot out the response before slipping his phone into his pocket, shaking his head with a smile while looking around the cafe once more.

in the corner of the shop, a small figure with a blue hoodie caught his eye. the child had a notebook out in front of him on the table along with a mug. david squinted, feeling familiarity punch him in the gut.

the kid turned his head ever so slightly, but the head of messy curls and tan skin already confirmed his suspicions before he even needed to internally question himself further and he felt his heart drop.

_no way, is that-_

"david! iced chai for david!" the grumpy barista called out from behind the counter.

 _that_ got max's attention as david watched his head shoot up from where it was buried in his work. david fiddled with his collar, nervously smiling at the boy. he didn't want to admit it, but that kid had one piercing stare. his narrowed green eyes shot bullets through him.

the barista cleared her throat and david and max's eye contact was lost as he profusely apologized before thanking her and grabbing the cup.

when he turned around, he half suspected for max to have booked it and be gone, but fortunately, he was still sitting there, stuck in the same glare he had on even before david turned around.

david smiled widely before speed walking over to the child and eagerly pulling a seat in front of him. "max!" he exclaimed, basically vibrating with excitement.

max stared a moment more before scoffing. "never pegged you to be a city boy, camp man." he spat. david ignored the jab with ease. "i actually moved here just before camp even started! i didn't even know you lived out here, max!" _because your parents didn't care enough to even put your address_ went unsaid.

the boy propped his chin on his hand, david was about to chastie him for putting his elbow on the table, but max spoke before he got the chance. "i've lived here like- my whole life. fucking brentwood." he made a motion with his hand.

david bit his tongue. brentwood was known for being a...not so nice area, to put it kindly. he cleared his throat, looking down at his work. "hey, fractions! i teach math to my third graders! i mean, not fractions, but hey!" david said happily.

max's demeanor dropped as he groaned. "dude, middle school is like camp, but ten times worse. i don't even fucking get what we're doing half the time." he complained, doodling another spiral among the many already drawn in the margin of his worksheet.

david frowned at that, seeing the frustrated look on max's face as he glared daggers into his homework. he stared at max sympathetically before getting an idea and grinning.

"hey, i can help you with that! my whole job is literally teaching math!" he claimed with a large smile. 

max looked up, looking genuinely surprised that someone wanted to help him. "really?" he asked cautiously.

~~_is everything okay at home? what's going on with your parents? how is brentwood? are you okay? are you safe?_ ~~

david swallowed harshly, forcing a smile.

"really." he confirmed.

* * *

since then, it had become a tradition.

david would bring gwen along sometimes if she was in the area which always made for a fun time.

the two of them would help max with his homework, listen to him rant about the latest school drama, and even put a smile on the boy's face-which he never had on.

however, always around 8:30, max would look at the time and his laughter and smile would fall flat as he claimed he had to go. he'd quickly pack his notebooks into his torn up black bookbag before slinging it over one shoulder and bidding a short goodbye to them.

the two of them constantly speculated, making theories and bizarre scenarios that ended up just scaring themselves. both of them were too scared of driving max away completely if they were to ask about his home life.

despite all these quirks, it was still their tradition.

again, an unspoken promise.

so why the hell was max breaking it?

david and gwen sat at their usual table, anxiously watching the digital clock above it together. the numbers _6:30_ stared back at them, taunting them.

david was bouncing his knee nervously. "he's always here before me, he's never late. _ever._ " he breathed out, running his hand through his hair and biting his lip, failing to contain his concern and worry.

gwen placed a hand on david's arm. "it's gonna be okay, he'll come, david." she tried to reassure, but david saw the uncertainty behind her eyes too. "we just gotta wait!" she claimed, trying to be positive.

so they waited.

and waited.

_and waited._

they went through several cups of coffee each, both of them wide awake and shaking from the amount of caffeine they consumed until they were kicked out for closing at 10:00.

gwen put a hand on david's shoulder comfortingly as his head dropped and he breathed out a heavy sigh. the night sky washed over them, stars barely visible through the pollution the city let out.

"here, i'll drive you home. it'll be okay." gwen said quietly, trying her best to push down her own feelings of concern in favor of comforting her best friend.

david simply stared at the ground, feeling defeated.

the car ride back to david's was silent as he sat in the passenger seat, digging his nails into his palms anxiously.

usually, when gwen was in the city, she would stay with david and they would stay on the pullout couch all night binging movies and shows. they would consume an unhealthy amount of junk food and-sometimes, if david was up to it, they'd get drunk off their asses and laugh at everything before passing out in a pile of limbs and exhaustion.

tonight was not one of those nights.

tonight, david was pacing in his apartment's living room, hands twitching as he thought about max. gwen was sitting on the couch, swirling a glass of wine around in her hand as she thought about max.

anxiety fillled the room to the damn brim as they both thought about max.

gwen stood up with a loud exhale.

"c'mon david, let's just try to sleep, okay? we can't help max if we're like this." gwen sighed, placing her hands on david's shoulders. "we can try to find him tomorrow. we can go to brentwood for a bit and search around for him." she offered, trying to keep her tone light.

david's posture dropped at her words. "i feel like we're giving up on him." he sniffed, clearly keeping tears at brim.

"no! that's not at all what we're doing! we are going to find him and everything's gonna be alright! maybe he was just sick or something." she reassured with determination.

david nodded tearfully, clearly wanting to believe her. "yeah you're...you're right. we'll find him tomorrow." he breathed, putting his hands over gwen's and taking a deep breath.

"fuck yeah we will."

_i hope._

* * *

the apartment was silent, save for gwen's soft snores as her and david were asleep on the couch. 

the moonlight shone in through the blinds casting a soft glow on their sleeping forms. 

it was calm, tranquil, peaceful-

_knock knock knock_

nevermind.

gwen stirred at the noise, smacking her lips together, confused as her eyes blinked open slowly.

she thought she'd imagined it until it happened again, more frantic.

_knock knock knock_

she hit david lazily with her arm, wiping her eyes with the other hand as david slowly arose from his slumber. "whats'it?" he slurred sleepily as he sat up.

_knock knock knock_

david rubbed his eyes as he looked at the time.

_2:47AM_

"who the hell knocks on someone's door like a maniac at almost 3 in the morning?" gwen groaned, stretching out her body. david yawned, swinging his feet over the couch and standing up. "i dunno. but be ready in case it's like a...a robber or something." he mumbled, half awake.

he stumbled to the door, unlocking it and twisting the handle. 

david was not ready for what- or rather _who_ was on the other side of the door.

there stood max, sweatshirt torn on his left sleeve, ratty backpack slung over his shoulder-

and a bloody nose along with a bruised eye.

david felt all the air and sleep leave his body as he stared wide eyed at the boy in front of him. his emerald eyes were wide, staring up at david with tears, his little hands shaking as he held them out in front of himself to catch the blood dripping off his chin.

it was at this moment that the fact that he really was just a kid punched him right in the chest.

david jumped to action, ushering max inside and slamming the door behind him. gwen was standing now, pulling her hair into a messy bun. she squinted down at the figure david brought in and quickly turned on the lamp beside her.

her violet eyes widened at the sight in front of her. "jesus christ, max!" she breathed.

david steered max towards the bathroom as gwen took his bookbag off, being forgotten on the floor behind them.

the two of them were camp counslers, they'd taken enough first aid classes to have this whole thing done within five minutes. they'd stopped nosebleeds and cleaned cuts and bruises at camp, but this- this was something so different that made both of them sick to their stomachs at the implications provided.

david sat him on the edge of the bathtub, breathing hard as gwen was sat in front of the boy and wiping the blood off his shaking hands and bottom half of his face. 

"i gotta uh...um i need to pinch with my thumb and index finger to send pressure to the bleeding point." he narrated to himself before tilting max's head slightly and doing so.

it was then that max spoke and david selfishly wished he hadn't because now he _really_ wanted to hurl.

"i didn't mean to, i didn't mean to. you have to believe me, i didn't mean to." he breathed out, silent tears creeping down his cheeks.

gwen placed a hand on max's knee. "we believe you, max. you didn't do anything wrong." she agreed, her fingers brushing over the bruise that sat heavy on his eye.

"i'm gonna get some ice, keep pinching his nose. it should stop the bleeding." she told david hurriedly before rushing out of the room, whispering a small _"fuck."_ to herself.

the two of them sat there now. max, looking up at david with so much trust and vulnerability that david wanted to burst into tears.

david used his free hand to brush through max's tangled curls and max leaned into the touch, starved of affection. "oh, buddy." he whispered to the boy as he removed his hand from his hair to wipe away the hot tears rushing down his face.

"everything's gonna be alright." he promised the child, hoping, _praying_ that he would be able to keep that promise.

"all my fucking fault. i'm so _stupid._ " he whined, frustrated. david brushed the hair out of his eyes. "hey, you are not stupid. you're the smartest person i know, max! and i know that you did nothing to facilitate whatever it is that happened here, alright?" david said in a soft tone.

before he could respond, gwen returned, ice pack in hand as he returned to sitting in front of the boy.

"okay, i'm just gonna put this on the bruise, it'll feel way better, bud." she exhaled. max nodded, his eyes half open as his breathing became more intense.

david noticed, concern growing. "hey, kid, eyes up." he tried to keep his voice calm, but he felt his own heartbeat increase in panic.

"i'm not...i didn't...sorry." max got out breathlessly before his eyes rolled back and he promptly passed out.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are super appreciated! :D stay safe!


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